Delayed Minnesota public health program ID cards to be mailed

Following months of technical delays, state officials finally will mail 26,000 membership cards this weekend to people who used the MNsure website to quality for income-based public health insurance programs Medicaid and MinnesotaCare.

The cards might not arrive by Jan. 1, but state officials said Friday that beneficiaries still will be able to obtain health care services should they need care or medications.

Officials wanted to send the cards sooner, but the mailings depend on a transfer of data from the MNsure health insurance exchange to another Minnesota state computer system.

The data feed, delayed for months due to technical problems, is now working, said Chuck Johnson, deputy commissioner for policy and operations in the state Department of Human Services.

In addition, state officials said Friday they will let people file paper applications for public health insurance coverage through Tuesday evening for coverage that starts Wednesday with the New Year. The option allows lower-income people who would qualify for the programs to bypass glitches on the MNsure website and lengthy waits at the health exchange call center.

"While applying online is still the best and quickest way to find out whether you are eligible for public programs, we want to make sure that those experiencing trouble have an alternate path to get the coverage they need on Jan. 1," said Lucinda Jesson, the state Human Services commissioner, in a statement.

But for people trying to buy commercial health insurance plans that are being sold through MNsure, "we do not recommend a paper application because that would not guarantee coverage by Jan. 1," said Jenni Bowring-McDonough, a MNsure spokeswoman.

Consumers seeking commercial coverage can bypass MNsure and purchase directly from a health insurance company, although they won't receive a federal tax credit.

"Just like on MNsure, all applicants have their choice of coverage, even if you have a pre-existing condition," the Minnesota Council of Health Plans said Friday in a tip sheet for consumers. "Help paying your premium is available on MNsure only."

Minnesota launched the MNsure health exchange to implement the federal Affordable Care Act, which requires that almost all Americans have health insurance next year or pay a tax penalty.

Lengthy wait times at the MNsure call center have continued this week, despite some preliminary numbers Thursday that suggested improvement. The average wait-time on Thursday for the nearly 3,500 people who called MNsure was 74 minutes.

As of 1:30 p.m. Friday, the call center had received 12,742 calls during the past week with an average wait time of nearly 63 minutes.

In a news release Friday, the Department of Human Services said that people who have already applied online through MNsure and received their official coverage notice in the mail do not need to take any further action. The same goes for people who already have submitted paper applications.

The state-federal Medicaid health insurance program goes by the name Medical Assistance in Minnesota. It is available for most individuals making less than $15,281 per year; parents, children and pregnant women with higher incomes can qualify in certain circumstances.

MinnesotaCare is available for individuals making up to $22,980 per year. The amount increases for households with more family members.